Sean McDermott Turned Down Approach From Buccaneers After Bills Exit

Former Bills coach Sean McDermott is expected to sit out the 2026 season before returning to coaching in 2027. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

After being relieved of his duties by the Bills following the team’s playoff exit, Sean McDermott was was back on the market and quickly drew interest from at least one NFL team.

McDermott was reportedly approached by the Buccaneers over the opportunity to join Todd Bowles’s coaching staff in some capacity, according to Greg Auman of Fox Sports. McDermott, however, informed Tampa Bay that he’d be taking the 2026 season off from coaching before potentially returning to the mix in 2027.

McDermott was the head coach in Buffalo from 2017 to ‘25 and posted a record of 98–50 across his nine years at the helm. Prior to his stint with the Bills, he’d held defensive coordinator roles with the Panthers and Eagles. The Buccaneers do not employ a defensive coordinator, as Bowles commands the defense and calls plays on that side of the ball in addition to his head coaching duties.

Buccaneers GM Jason Licht is familiar with McDermott from their time with the Eagles from 2003 to ‘07. McDermott also interviewed in 2016 for Tampa’s head coaching vacancy––a role which ultimately went to Dirk Koetter. McDermott landed the job in Buffalo a year later.

McDermott will likely be a popular coaching candidate when the 2027 cycle gets rolling, but for now it seems he’s content to sit the year out and enjoy some time off before diving back into the coaching scene.

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